Issues in reporting Bishop’s new job and Ruto’s unhindered loans

Framing refers to the way information is presented in media, particularly in newspaper articles, which can significantly influence public perception and interpretation.

It involves selecting certain aspects of a story and emphasizing them, while downplaying or omitting others. It also involves the phrasing of headlines.

The framing process shapes how readers understand an issue, guiding their thoughts, feelings, and reactions. Framing can at times lead to biased or misleading interpretations of a story, creating a narrative that readers may accept as the whole truth.

Framing can be used to distort the public understanding of news and contribute to misinformation and propaganda.

Our focus today is headlines. A headline serves a fundamental purpose: to attract attention and summarise the article’s content.

Yet, in the pursuit of clicks and readership, headline writers sometimes resort to sensationalism. Such practices can lead to inaccurate or biased interpretation of a story. This not only undermines journalistic integrity but also shapes public perception based on incomplete or inaccurate information.

Provocative headline

Headlines are indeed the first — and sometimes the only — impression that a reader gets of a story. Many readers complain about headlines, saying they are biased, misleading, or downright inaccurate. Let’s explore two recent examples.

The first example is the headline “Bishop Wanjiru’s turn to eat: Ruto appoints her to head Nairobi Rivers Commission” (Nation.Africa, October 26, 2024). The phrase “turn to eat” is key. It’s reminiscent of Michela Wrong’s book, It’s Our Turn to Eat: The Story of a Kenyan Whistle-Blower. While it captures attention by invoking the theme of the book, it raises concerns about journalistic integrity.

As we’ve already noted, headlines are meant to grab attention and entice readers. But they must also reflect the content of the article. The NMG editorial policy emphasises that headlines should be supported by the story. This headline deviates from this standard. For the same story, Taifa Jumapili also runs a similarly provocative headline: “Ruto arushia Wanjiru, Omanga nyama” (Ruto throws meat to Wanjiru, Omanga). But the Sunday Nation adopted a neutral headline: “Wanjiru in charge of Nairobi rivers, Omanga named in commission.”

The Nation.Africa and Taifa headlines insinuate that political appointments are driven by personal gain rather than merit. Such framing biases readers before they engage with the content. Catchy phrases like “turn to eat” oversimplify complex political dynamics and fail to provide adequate context about Bishop Wanjiru’s qualifications or the purpose behind her appointment.

A more neutral headline could focus on the appointment itself without the controversial “turn to eat” suggestion. For example, the headline could be written to read: “President Ruto names Bishop Wanjiru to lead Nairobi Rivers Commission”. This highlights the appointment without suggesting negative connotations.

Media literacy skills

The second example is the headline “Loans: MPs give President Ruto a blank cheque” (Nation.Africa, November 8, 2024). The headline is attention-grabbing and straightforward, indicating a significant political decision regarding government borrowing. The strength of the headline lies in the phrase “blank cheque”, which suggests a lack of checks and balances, hinting at potential negligence or irresponsibility in fiscal governance.

The headline captures the reader’s interest in the story, which is about issues pertaining to borrowing limits or debt ceiling extensions. The headline, however, has a major problem. It suggests that MPs have approved a significant borrowing measure, giving President Ruto unrestricted borrowing authority. However, the content of the story reveals that the proposal to amend the debt ceiling is still in the legislative process. The law has not yet been passed.

The story indicates that the amendment being sought is part of the Public Finance and Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, currently under consideration in Parliament. The story discusses motivations, implications, and stakeholder reactions to the proposed amendment but stops short of stating that the law has been enacted.

Throughout the article, there is reference to a pending bill and discussions about it, which leads to the conclusion that the approval from MPs is still forthcoming. The headline is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading.

In conclusion, to combat the effects of framing, whether in headline or text of a story, readers must develop media literacy skills. This includes being able to discern the potential biases in a headline and read beyond. The responsibility also lies with the editor to uphold standards of ethical journalism, making sure headlines are accurate, clear and unbiased.

The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected]. Call or text 0721989264